CA2386657A1 - Glass container coating hood - Google Patents
Glass container coating hood Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2386657A1 CA2386657A1 CA002386657A CA2386657A CA2386657A1 CA 2386657 A1 CA2386657 A1 CA 2386657A1 CA 002386657 A CA002386657 A CA 002386657A CA 2386657 A CA2386657 A CA 2386657A CA 2386657 A1 CA2386657 A1 CA 2386657A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- air flow
- conveyor
- air
- hood
- glass coating
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
- C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
- C03C17/00—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating
- C03C17/001—General methods for coating; Devices therefor
- C03C17/003—General methods for coating; Devices therefor for hollow ware, e.g. containers
- C03C17/005—Coating the outside
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/04—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/455—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/54—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
Abstract
A glass coating hood (10) includes a housing (12) with conveyor belts (14) running through it and loops of high speed air flow carrying entrained glass coating composition for deposition on glass containers (16) riding the belts.
Adjacent to the belts (14) are hollow tubes (116, 118) cooled by coolant flowing therein. Behind the coolant tubes (116, 118) are sets of vertical vents (112) and control orifice panels (120). Vertically adjustable side walls (130, 132, 134, 136) enable the receiving side of the conveyor belt (14) to be slightly higher than the issuing side to capture the oxide laden air. Baffles (148, 154, 156) formed in the housing (12) above the conveyor belts (14) create a dead space (140) that traps coating-free air injected from above to prevent oxide laden air from up-welling from below.
Adjacent to the belts (14) are hollow tubes (116, 118) cooled by coolant flowing therein. Behind the coolant tubes (116, 118) are sets of vertical vents (112) and control orifice panels (120). Vertically adjustable side walls (130, 132, 134, 136) enable the receiving side of the conveyor belt (14) to be slightly higher than the issuing side to capture the oxide laden air. Baffles (148, 154, 156) formed in the housing (12) above the conveyor belts (14) create a dead space (140) that traps coating-free air injected from above to prevent oxide laden air from up-welling from below.
Description
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
GLASS CONTAINER COATING HOOD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying coatings to glass containers. In particular, it relates to an apparatus that receives hot containers from a glass container forming machine and applies a metal oxide coating to the outer surface of the containers to improve scratch resistance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Glass containers, when subject to routine handling, easily become scratched.
As an ever-increasing number of bottles are recycled, they are each subjected to repeated handling and, correspondingly, degradation of appearance and strength.
Furthermore, the prevalence of light weight, thin wall containers, which are used for economic recycling, exacerbates the problem. To make recycling successful, it is imperative to minimize scratching so that the bottles retain strength and good appearance during repeated use.
Thus, bottles are now routinely coated with a scratch-resistant metal oxide coating.
Not all parts of the containers should be protected by a scratch-resistant coating.
The top of a beverage bottle, called the finish, is preferably kept free of the coating because of electro-chemical interactions between the metal oxide coating and the metal cap.
When glass containers such as bottles are formed, they are quite hot. They exit the bottle forming machine at temperatures of approximately 700° C. They are then conveyed one at a time into a glass coating hood where each bottle, below the finish, is exposed to the coating. By the time they exit the coating hood, the coating applied to the bottles has formed a chemical bond with the glass.
There are numerous examples of these coating hoods. For example, see the three patents issued to Lindner: U. S. Patent 5,140,940, for an Apparatus for Depositing a Metal-Oxide Coating on Glass Articles; U.S. Patent 4,668,268, for a Coating Hood With Air Flow Guide for Minimizing Deposition of Coating Compound on Finish of Containers; and U.S. Patent 4,389,234, for a Glass Coating Hood and Method of Spray Coating Glassware.
These three patents describe different improvements on a basic glass coating hood. The oldest patent of the three focuses on a multiple loop, counter-current air flow patterns to make better use of coating material. The next oldest addresses the issue of avoiding application of the coating to the finish. The newest one is directed to preventing the buildup of coating compound on the interior walls of the coating chamber.
GLASS CONTAINER COATING HOOD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying coatings to glass containers. In particular, it relates to an apparatus that receives hot containers from a glass container forming machine and applies a metal oxide coating to the outer surface of the containers to improve scratch resistance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Glass containers, when subject to routine handling, easily become scratched.
As an ever-increasing number of bottles are recycled, they are each subjected to repeated handling and, correspondingly, degradation of appearance and strength.
Furthermore, the prevalence of light weight, thin wall containers, which are used for economic recycling, exacerbates the problem. To make recycling successful, it is imperative to minimize scratching so that the bottles retain strength and good appearance during repeated use.
Thus, bottles are now routinely coated with a scratch-resistant metal oxide coating.
Not all parts of the containers should be protected by a scratch-resistant coating.
The top of a beverage bottle, called the finish, is preferably kept free of the coating because of electro-chemical interactions between the metal oxide coating and the metal cap.
When glass containers such as bottles are formed, they are quite hot. They exit the bottle forming machine at temperatures of approximately 700° C. They are then conveyed one at a time into a glass coating hood where each bottle, below the finish, is exposed to the coating. By the time they exit the coating hood, the coating applied to the bottles has formed a chemical bond with the glass.
There are numerous examples of these coating hoods. For example, see the three patents issued to Lindner: U. S. Patent 5,140,940, for an Apparatus for Depositing a Metal-Oxide Coating on Glass Articles; U.S. Patent 4,668,268, for a Coating Hood With Air Flow Guide for Minimizing Deposition of Coating Compound on Finish of Containers; and U.S. Patent 4,389,234, for a Glass Coating Hood and Method of Spray Coating Glassware.
These three patents describe different improvements on a basic glass coating hood. The oldest patent of the three focuses on a multiple loop, counter-current air flow patterns to make better use of coating material. The next oldest addresses the issue of avoiding application of the coating to the finish. The newest one is directed to preventing the buildup of coating compound on the interior walls of the coating chamber.
In addition to Lindner, both Scholes and Novice, individually and together with their co-inventors, have been granted multiple patents on glass coating hoods or the process of applying a glass coating. Novice has four patents: U.S. Patent 3,952,118, for a Method for Hot-End Coating of Glass Containers; U.S. Patent 3,785,851, for a Hot End Coating Device; U.S. Patent 3,842,793, for aNon-Jamming Baffle Coating Hood; and U.S.
Patent 3,958,530, for an Apparatus for Coating an Article. Scholes has U.S. Patent 5,284,684, for a Method and Apparatus for Coating Glassware and U.S. Patent 5,454,873, for Cold End Glassware Coating Apparatus. There are, in addition, other patents on glass coating hoods.
Most of these patents teach a way to apply the coating, in particular, how to apply it evenly to the appropriate parts of the bottle. Some of the patented apparatus are designed to be more productive either by applying a greater percentage of the coating used or making the coating hood more trouble-free.
Air flow, because it carries the coating, is of particular concern. Generally, prior art coating hoods that use air flow to carry the coating, as opposed to a spray, use a single pass of air. Lindner, on the other hand, uses multiple air flow "loops" with the air flowing in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in adjacent loops to achieve turbulence for mixing between adj acent loops where the air is going in opposing directions.
The air flow rate is relatively slow so that as much of the coating as possible can be applied to the bottles before the air flow takes the residue of coating material from the apparatus.
Evenness and completeness of the protective coating is a desirable result from both the standpoint of achieving a good coating and also from avoiding the rejection of bottles.
Achieving a high throughput is not merely a question of conveyor belt speed but of the rate at which acceptable bottles exit the coating hood.
The coating hood receives its bottles from the bottle making equipment, which makes them rapidly and is a relatively expensive device compared to the hood.
The bottles are made rapidly and, as a result, the coating hood becomes somewhat of a bottleneck, if you will, in the process.
Greater conveyor speed is not always a good option for increasing the output of the bottle making machine. The faster the bottles move, the more inclined they are to tip over, the more difficult it is to apply a proper coating, and, thus, the higher the rejection rate rises. The coating process itself becomes more difficult at higher speeds.
Inevitably, use of longer coating hoods is the approach that is taken most often to solve the problem of greater throughput.
One solution devised by a bottle forming machine manufacturer to reduce the difficulties associated with moving bottles along a conveyor at increased speed is to use two parallel, adjacent conveyor belts each carrying half the output of the bottle forming machine with consequently slower speed of movement. However, the use of two parallel, adjacent conveyor belts requires a new approach to the application of coating whereby all the previous requirements of coating application can be achieved, but over a much increased width across the conveyor.
There remains a need for a more efficient glass coating hood, capable of applying the coating evenly, quickly, and with high throughput and low losses of coating to the atmosphere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is a glass coating hood having a number of improvements. In one embodiment, the hood uses one loop of air. In a second embodiment, the hood uses counter-current loops of air to carry the coating. Because the adjacent loops in the two-loop embodiment travel in opposing directions (one clockwise and the other counter clockwise), where the two loops come together, they are traveling in the same direction, thus avoiding turbulence.
Among the other features of the present coating hood in both the single and dual loop embodiments are:
~ Air-cooled baffles help to control air flow and prevent the coating from bonding to hot surfaces.
~ A higher flow rate of the air than in prior art coating hoods so that the gap through which the conveyor moves can be wider to accommodate different size containers or a double row of bottles on twin conveyor belts.
~ Panels with control orifices help to distribute the coating on the sides of the bottles.
~ Thin film evaporation of the coating compound before it enters the air flow loops to assure that a higher percentage of it is applied to the containers.
~ Adjustable end and side panels to control of air flow while accommodating containers of different widths and heights.
~ An improved bottle finish protection design.
The high flow rate in combination with laminar flow is a very important feature of the present invention. The flow rate is approximately three to five times faster than that of conventional hoods. This combination quickly and evenly coats a bottle and allows better control over where the coating is applied to the bottle.
The use of horizontal and vertical baffles or vents to produce a laminar flow that is directed where it is intended is another important feature of the present invention.
Although vents are known, the use of vertical vents is believed to work especially well with the higher flow rates of the present invention. Furthermore the vertical vents, which are positioned closer to the hot containers passing through the hood, are cooled from within to prevent chemical bonding of the coating compound to their otherwise hot exterior surfaces.
The use of counter currents of air flow is also an important feature of the present invention in its two-loop embodiment. Not only does it reduce turbulence, which is a goal in the present invention, but it simplifies construction of the air handling conduits.
The ability to apply the coating to a double line of containers through the coating hood is another important feature of the present invention. With a double belt, the rate of movement can be slowed to reduce the rejection rate from bottles with too thin a coating or from fallen bottles, but still more bottles will exit the hood than with a higher speed, single belt configuration. As a result productivity improves from a nominal 500 bottles per minute in a conventional, single conveyor hood to over 700 bottles per minute in a double conveyor hood.
The control orifice panels are another important feature of the present invention.
The coating on a container is needed most at the bottom sides and at the shoulders. In the past, coating was applied over the whole bottle (except for the finish) because there was no obvious way to apply it to specific parts of its exterior. The control orifice panel makes it possible to apply it where needed. Other features and their advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art of glass coating hoods from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, accompanied by the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glass coating hood according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the glass coating hood of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the glass coating hood of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the glass coating hood of Fig. 1;
Patent 3,958,530, for an Apparatus for Coating an Article. Scholes has U.S. Patent 5,284,684, for a Method and Apparatus for Coating Glassware and U.S. Patent 5,454,873, for Cold End Glassware Coating Apparatus. There are, in addition, other patents on glass coating hoods.
Most of these patents teach a way to apply the coating, in particular, how to apply it evenly to the appropriate parts of the bottle. Some of the patented apparatus are designed to be more productive either by applying a greater percentage of the coating used or making the coating hood more trouble-free.
Air flow, because it carries the coating, is of particular concern. Generally, prior art coating hoods that use air flow to carry the coating, as opposed to a spray, use a single pass of air. Lindner, on the other hand, uses multiple air flow "loops" with the air flowing in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in adjacent loops to achieve turbulence for mixing between adj acent loops where the air is going in opposing directions.
The air flow rate is relatively slow so that as much of the coating as possible can be applied to the bottles before the air flow takes the residue of coating material from the apparatus.
Evenness and completeness of the protective coating is a desirable result from both the standpoint of achieving a good coating and also from avoiding the rejection of bottles.
Achieving a high throughput is not merely a question of conveyor belt speed but of the rate at which acceptable bottles exit the coating hood.
The coating hood receives its bottles from the bottle making equipment, which makes them rapidly and is a relatively expensive device compared to the hood.
The bottles are made rapidly and, as a result, the coating hood becomes somewhat of a bottleneck, if you will, in the process.
Greater conveyor speed is not always a good option for increasing the output of the bottle making machine. The faster the bottles move, the more inclined they are to tip over, the more difficult it is to apply a proper coating, and, thus, the higher the rejection rate rises. The coating process itself becomes more difficult at higher speeds.
Inevitably, use of longer coating hoods is the approach that is taken most often to solve the problem of greater throughput.
One solution devised by a bottle forming machine manufacturer to reduce the difficulties associated with moving bottles along a conveyor at increased speed is to use two parallel, adjacent conveyor belts each carrying half the output of the bottle forming machine with consequently slower speed of movement. However, the use of two parallel, adjacent conveyor belts requires a new approach to the application of coating whereby all the previous requirements of coating application can be achieved, but over a much increased width across the conveyor.
There remains a need for a more efficient glass coating hood, capable of applying the coating evenly, quickly, and with high throughput and low losses of coating to the atmosphere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is a glass coating hood having a number of improvements. In one embodiment, the hood uses one loop of air. In a second embodiment, the hood uses counter-current loops of air to carry the coating. Because the adjacent loops in the two-loop embodiment travel in opposing directions (one clockwise and the other counter clockwise), where the two loops come together, they are traveling in the same direction, thus avoiding turbulence.
Among the other features of the present coating hood in both the single and dual loop embodiments are:
~ Air-cooled baffles help to control air flow and prevent the coating from bonding to hot surfaces.
~ A higher flow rate of the air than in prior art coating hoods so that the gap through which the conveyor moves can be wider to accommodate different size containers or a double row of bottles on twin conveyor belts.
~ Panels with control orifices help to distribute the coating on the sides of the bottles.
~ Thin film evaporation of the coating compound before it enters the air flow loops to assure that a higher percentage of it is applied to the containers.
~ Adjustable end and side panels to control of air flow while accommodating containers of different widths and heights.
~ An improved bottle finish protection design.
The high flow rate in combination with laminar flow is a very important feature of the present invention. The flow rate is approximately three to five times faster than that of conventional hoods. This combination quickly and evenly coats a bottle and allows better control over where the coating is applied to the bottle.
The use of horizontal and vertical baffles or vents to produce a laminar flow that is directed where it is intended is another important feature of the present invention.
Although vents are known, the use of vertical vents is believed to work especially well with the higher flow rates of the present invention. Furthermore the vertical vents, which are positioned closer to the hot containers passing through the hood, are cooled from within to prevent chemical bonding of the coating compound to their otherwise hot exterior surfaces.
The use of counter currents of air flow is also an important feature of the present invention in its two-loop embodiment. Not only does it reduce turbulence, which is a goal in the present invention, but it simplifies construction of the air handling conduits.
The ability to apply the coating to a double line of containers through the coating hood is another important feature of the present invention. With a double belt, the rate of movement can be slowed to reduce the rejection rate from bottles with too thin a coating or from fallen bottles, but still more bottles will exit the hood than with a higher speed, single belt configuration. As a result productivity improves from a nominal 500 bottles per minute in a conventional, single conveyor hood to over 700 bottles per minute in a double conveyor hood.
The control orifice panels are another important feature of the present invention.
The coating on a container is needed most at the bottom sides and at the shoulders. In the past, coating was applied over the whole bottle (except for the finish) because there was no obvious way to apply it to specific parts of its exterior. The control orifice panel makes it possible to apply it where needed. Other features and their advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art of glass coating hoods from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, accompanied by the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glass coating hood according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the glass coating hood of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the glass coating hood of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the glass coating hood of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is an end cross sectional view of the glass coating hood taken along lines B-B
of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a top cross sectional view of the glass coating hood taken along lines A-A
of Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is a detailed cross sectional view of the finish protection system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a top cross sectional view of the glass coating hood according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely, the dual conveyor belt embodiment;
Fig. 9 is a detailed cross sectional view of the finish protection system according to the alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10A and l OB illustrate two alternative control orifice panels, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig 11 A and 11 B illustrate the side view and end view of the coating compound thin film evaporation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
and Figs. 12A and 12B illustrate a detail of the air flow pattern with respect to a passing bottle that is achievable by using control orifice panels shown in Figs. 10A
and lOB
respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS DETAILED
The present invention is a glass coating hood. It receives newly formed, hot glass containers from a glass container former and applies a coating to a substantial part of the surface of the container leaving the upper part, or "finish" free of coating.
The coating is a metal oxide to improve the scratch resistance of the container's exterior, preferably tin oxide derived from the decomposition of monobutyltin trichloride. However, neither the coating nor the containers are part of the present invention. The containers are the workpiece to which the coating is applied by the present coating hood as the containers pass on through the hood on a conveyor belt or belts through the "gap" formed in the coating hood.
Two primary embodiments of the present hood are described herein, one suited to a single conveyor belt and the other suited to dual conveyor belts. Generally, for a single conveyor belt, a single loop air flow system is sufficient and preferred. For dual conveyor belts a dual air flow system is preferred. The differences in these two embodiments are in part to reflect the fact that one has a wider gap because it accommodates two belts and the other has a narrower gap because it has to accommodate only one belt.
The term "air" is used in a somewhat generic sense herein for any gas that can be used as a carrier for the metal oxide. Obviously, any inert gas or gas that is at least inert to the oxide, the bottle, and the interior of the housing, such as nitrogen, can be used to carry metal oxide. However, the preferred gas is simply air in the literal sense because of convenience and low cost.
Figs. 1-7 illustrate the first of these two preferred embodiments, the single belt version. The hood is generally referred to using the reference number 10. Hood comprises a housing 12 and a conveyor belt 14 running therethrough. Bottles 16 are illustrated on belt 14, but the type of glass container coated by the present hood 10 may be almost any glass container. In fact, because of features of hood 10, which will be described presently, there is considerable flexibility in coating containers of different sizes once simple adjustments are made to hood 10.
Belt 14 moves from an entrance 20 of hood 10 through to an exit 22. Doors 24 (only one shown at entrance 20 in Fig. 1 ) on the sides of entrance 20 and exit 22 are adjustable horizontally to allow a larger or smaller gap for bottles 16 of different widths and should be adjusted to maintain just sufficient clearance for bottles 16 but without leaving excessive clearance that would compromise the environment inside hood 10. The adjustment mechanism can be slots 26 in door 24 through which bolts 26 protrude from housing 12 and to which nuts 28 are fastened.
The height of the gap in housing 12 can also be adjusted in order to accommodate bottles 16 of different heights. At the top of the gap inside housing 12 is a finish control system 30, which will be described in more detail below but which can be raised. Guides 32 mounted to the top of housing 12 hold masts 34 connected to sidewalls 130, 132, 134, and 136. These can be raised independently of each other, as will be explained below.
Finish control system 30 can also be raised or lowered to accommodate bottles 16 of different heights. By rotating wheel 36 connected by a shaft 3 8 to finish control system 30, finish control system 30 can be raised or lowered to the desired height.
On each side of housing 12 are access panels 40 which can be opened to provide access to the interior of housing 12 for servicing. Nuts 42 hold panels 40 in place and handles 44 facilitate handling. Each side of housing carries a heater 46, an air pump 48, an air pump motor 50, a fan motor 52 positioned behind a heat shield 54.
Excess air from the interior is vented on each side through a vent 56 the opening of which is controlled by a damper 58.
The effluent from housing is extracted via exhaust tubes 60 which communicate with an exhaust manifold 62 and then with an extraction pump 64, powered by extraction motor 68. An exhaust damper 66 controls the back pressure in manifold 62. From there, the effluent is pumped to conventional air cleaning apparatus which is not part of the present invention. Air for the finish protection system 30 and for cooling certain hollow vents, as will be described below, is supplied by a pump 70 (Fig. 2) and conduit 72.
A controller 78 controls various components including heaters 46, pumps 48, 64, 70, and motors 50, 52.
Inside hood 10, bottles 16 are exposed to a flow of air, indicated by arrows in Fig 2, generated by air pumps 48. This flow of air carries the coating compound in an evaporated, gaseous state throughout interior. On startup, air from outside hood 10 is heated using heaters 46 until its temperature, indicated by a temperature indicator such as a thermocouple 80, is close to the deposition temperature of the coating compound.
Heaters 46 are preferably at least 7.5 Kwatt heaters for a 66 inch hood 10.
Thereafter, the heat from newly formed bottles 16 supplies the necessary heat to bring the air to temperature.
The operating temperature is approximately 300° F. Heaters 46 bring a cold hood 10 up to temperature. Once at a temperature of at least 250° F, belt 14 can begin conveying bottles into hood 10. When the unit reaches a temperature of approximately 260° F on heat up, heaters 46 are switched off by controller 78 to prevent temperature overshoot.
Thereafter the heat from bottles 16 maintains the operating temperature. In the event the temperature drops on the interior drops to 275° F, heater 46 are switched on by controller 78 to bring the temperature back up to operating temperature. If the temperature on the interior of hood 10 is below 250° F, no bottles 16 are introduced. The goals of the temperature control logic is to use heaters 46 sparingly in favor of bottle heat and to prevent the temperature from dropping below 250° F and significantly overshooting 300°
F.
As the air flows around bottles 16, the coating compound-laden air impinges on their side surfaces and the compound is thereby deposited on those surfaces where it reacts with the hot glass. The air, after traversing belt 14 at least twice and losing most of its SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) entrained coating, is removed via exhaust tubes 60 to extraction manifold 62, pulled by extraction pump 64.
The interior 90 of hood 10 is divided by a bale 92 into two portions: a first portion 94 and second portion 96. As illustrated, the direction of flow is counterclockwise (but an S equivalent counter-clockwise system could obviously be designed from a mirror image of the present design). The flow throughout hood 10 is created by first fan 100 and second fan 102, operated by motors 52. Motors 52 are preferably electric motors.
First fan 100 and second fan 102, respectively, receive air from pumps 48 and pull the air across belt 14;
first fan 100 pulls the air across belt 14 in first portion 94 and second fan 102 pulls the air across belt 14 in second portion 96.
The oxide coating is fed as a liquid from a drip tube 106 onto a metal surface or evaporator shoe 108 that is formed and sloped to spread the liquid over surface from where it falls (See Figs. 11A and 11B). Shoe 108 is exposed to the hot air flow and thus causes the liquid coating compound to evaporate and be carried as it evaporates into the center or "eye" of first and second fans 100, 102, where it is sucked in and becomes entrained in the flows of air. Drip tube 106 is fitted with a tetrafluorohydrocarbon (TEFLON) sleeve that can be easily replaced when clogged. Tube 106 deposits a uniform droplet on shoe 108, preferably 0.1 grams of coating compound, to assure the concentration of coating compound is maintained at a fairly constant level during operation.
To help control the direction and character of the air flow, a set of vertical vents:
first vertical vents 112 and second vertical vents 114, one set in each of first and second portions 94, 96, are positioned near belt 14. A little closer to belt 14 in each compartment is a set of air-cooled, oval tubes: first tubes 116 and second tubes 118, define a series of apertures through which the air flows. First and second vertical vents 112, 114, are set an angle, nominally about 45 °, with respect to the major axis of housing 12, but are adjustable, to turn air from first and second fans 100, 102, respectively, and direct it between first and second tubes 116, 118, which themselves define a second set of vertical vents.
The first and second sets of vertical vents 112, 114, 116, and 118, help to direct the air flow and to keep it laminar.
Oval first and second tubes 116, 118, are hollow to permit coolant, such as air or other fluid, to flow therethrough. Because bottles 16 are quite hot and radiate heat to surrounding surfaces (necessitating heat shields 54 to protect motors 52, for example), these tubes would ordinarily be hotter than the dissociation temperature of the metal oxide SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) coating compound entrained in the air. Without an effective way of cooling them, the coating composition would be deposited on their surfaces. The coolant maintains the surface temperature of first and second tubes 116, 118, below the dissociation temperature so that the oxide does not stick to their surfaces. Thus, the presence of the coolant minimizes the need for periodic cleaning of tubes 116, 118. Similarly, the openness of the space behind tubes 116, 118, and removable side panels 40 make it easier to gain access to interior 90 service hood 10 when cleaning is required.
Tubes 116, 118, are preferably spaced apart by at least 1/8th inch, and preferably by approximately 3/8th inch. This spacing prevents tubes 116, 118, from becoming in effect a "filter" for glass fragments, which, if it occurred, would slow operation because the clogged passages between tubes 116, 118, would interfere with air flow, but is narrow enough to control and direct air flow in a laminar fashion across belt 14. The coolant flowing through the interiors of first and second oval tubes 116. 118, comes from pump 70 via conduit 72 that also services finish protection system 30.
The rate of air flow is up to 3 meters per second, roughly three times the air speed in conventional hoods. This high rate, among other advantages, permits a larger gap (defined as the space through which belt 14 passes), up to 165 mm for this one-belt embodiment, a gap that can accommodate all but the largest bottles 16.
In addition, the higher flow rate makes the coating over the exterior surface of bottle 16 more even. A slower flow deposits most of the coating compound on the side of bottle 16 facing the oncoming air and relatively less on the front and back of bottle (in terms of its direction of motion on belt 14). An air flow in a loop thus coats the two sides of a forward moving bottle relatively more and the front and back of a bottle relatively less.
The higher air flow of the present invention, on the other hand, causes whirlpools to form on the sides of bottle, circulating and recirculating the same volume of air in the vicinity of the bottle's sides, that causes a relative reduction in the amount of coating deposited there making the overall coating on the sides more even. The higher flow rate is achieved by more powerful fans 100, 102. Two control orifice panels 120, 122, are placed just before first and second vertical tubes 116, 118, respectively. The functions of these panels will be explained presently.
Note that housing 12 includes entrance barrier 124 at entrance 20 and exit barrier 126 at exit 22 to help to isolate first and second portions 94, 96, on the interior from the exterior of housing 12 and to permit extraction of metal oxide vapor that might otherwise SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) exit hood 10. The vapors drawn into barrier 124 and barrier 126 are pulled into exhaust tubes 60 by extraction pump 64.
On each side of the gap are two side walls 130, 132, 134, and 136. These are held in position by guides 32 and masts 34 so that they can be raised or lowered individually S In general, side walls are set higher on the side of belt 16 that is receiving the air flow from across belt 16 and lower on the side that whence the air flow is originating because air flow tends to diverge - at a 15 degree angle in the case of the air flow rates for the present invention. This side walls 130, 134 would be set lower and side walls 132 and 136 would be set higher. The mode of adjustment can be relatively pimple, such as by forming slots (not shown) in side walls 130, 132, 134 and 136 that are tightened with nuts and bolts (not shown) in a manner similar to that shown for doors 24. These adjustable side walls 130, 132, 134 and 136 are part of finish protection system 30 as well.
As illustrated in Fig 7, the finish is protected from the application of the metal oxide coating by several baffles that make it possible to maintain a positive pressure of coating compound-free air in a dead space 140 of housing 12 through which the finish 142 of a bottle 144 passes. This pressurized dead space 140 is augmented by a thin, high-velocity jets of air to prevent upwelling of coating-compound-laden air from below Downwardly directed clean air - air not containing coating compound -- is divided and laterally redirected by a first dispersing ba$1e 148 to slits 150 and 152 defined by the gap between first baffle 148 and sidewalls 130, 132, and 134, 136, respectively.
Two angled second baffles 154 and 156 redirect and confine air to dead space 140. Second angled baffles 154, 156, are oriented at approximately 45° with respect to the horizontal, sloped downward toward the finish 142 of bottle 144 and extend partway so as not to interfere with the moving line of bottles 144 but long enough to trap a portion of oxide-coating-free air in dead space 140. Just below angled second baffles 154, 156, are a tubes 158, 160, respectively, running the length of hood 10. These tubes have a thin slit 164, 166, preferably 0.006 inches wide and running the length of tubes 158, 160, formed in them that directs a high speed knife-like jet of air at the bottom of the bottle finish 142, below dead space 140, in order to help prevent upwelling of compound-laden air into dead space 140.
The air for tubes 158, 160 and for dead space 140 is supplied and maintained by a finish protection system conduit 72 and pump 70 at a pressure just sufficient to prevent the oxide-coating-laden air below it from entering deadspace 140.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) Thus, oxide-coating-free air from conduit 72 flows laterally around dispersing baffle 148 and then down through slits 150, 152, turning again as it strikes second angled baffles 154, 156, to create a pocket of oxide-free air around finish 142 in dead space 140, that, because of its pressure, resists upwelling of the coating-laden air.
Jets of air from slits 164, 166, in tubes 158, 160, represent optional, redundant engineering to further prevent upwelling.
The concentration of coating in the air, the residency time of bottles 16 in hood 10, and the flow rate of the air will generally determine the thickness of the coating applied.
Once the desired thickness is known, those parameters that affect coating thickness, such as concentration, can be estimated by calculations and then confirmed, or adjusted, by modest experimental techniques known to those skilled in the art of the operation of coating hoods.
The amount of coating deposited, however, does not describe how the coating is distributed on each bottle. The present invention provides a feature for tailoring the coating to the bottle.
Figs. 10A, l OB, 12A and 12B illustrate two embodiments of a control orifice panel 172, 174, located just before the air flow reaches tubes 116, 118 These shape the air flow by defining its boundaries so that relatively more air, laden with coating compound, strikes bottles 16 where is it most needed. Figs. 10A and 12A illustrate control orifice panel 172 with a rectangular hole 176 formed therein; Figs 1 OB and 12B illustrate a control orifice panel 174 with two rectangular holes 178, 180. The single, rectangular hole 176 helps to assure that the coating is applied evenly from shoulder of bottle 16 down.
Holes 178, 180 help to assure that the coating is applied more heavily at the shoulder and at the base than at the middle of bottle 16.
The dimensions and placement of the holes in control orifice panels 172, 174, are obtained by a modest degree of experimentation. These dimensions key from the shape and size of the bottle and the distance of the bottle to the panel. The shape of the bottle and desired thickness of the coating as a function of height will dictate a curve of coating compound versus bottle height. That curve will be adjusted by the distance to the panel that "back out" the air stream divergence, about 15% for the air flow rate of the present.
The resulting curve can be used to determine the shape and position of the aperture in the control orifice panel. Generally, the width of the aperture should be correlated to the amount of coating to be deposited as a function of the height of the bottle:
that is, at the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) elevation on the bottle where the coating needs to be thickest, the width of the aperture in the panel must be widest. The height of the aperture in the panel will correlate generally to the height of the desired deposition on the bottle somewhat reduced from the actual bottle dimensions to allow for the divergence of the air stream between the time it passes through the panel aperture and the time it reaches the bottle. A calculation can be easily used to determine a starting point for aperture size and shape and then the aperture dimensions can be modified from the initial dimensions based on test results.
An alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention is a dual belt hood, illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Hood 190 has an entrance 192 and an exit 194.
Twin belts, first belt 198 and second belt 200, which are adjacent and spaced slightly apart, move from entrance 192 to exit 194 through hood 190 carrying bottles 202 on both conveyor belts 198, 200.
Hood 190 has two air flow loops, one in first portion 206 and one in second portion 208 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5. Motors 210, which are preferably electric motors, rotate fans 212 to move the air in the desired direction. The air flow in first portion 206 is shown as moving clockwise; in second portion 208, counterclockwise. Because these air currents are counter to each other, when cross belts 198, 200 in the middle of hood 190, they are crossing in the same direction, with less turbulence. A line of symmetry 216 defines the boundary between f rst and second portions 206, 208, about which line, first and second portions are mirror images of each other.
Internal structure of hood 190 includes bales designed to channel the air flow in the desired direction. In first portion 206, a first baffle 218 defines and separates first and second portions 206, 208. A second baffle 220 in each portion separates the outgoing and incoming air flows adjacent to fan 212. A corresponding third baffle 222 performs a similar function on the opposing side of hood 190. Note that third baffle 222 is positioned slightly downstream (with respect to the movement of belts 198, 200) of second baffle 220 to capture the air flow coming across belts 198, 200, air that has dispersed notwithstanding its highly laminar nature and high flow rate. Note also that, just as third baffle 222 is positioned slightly downstream of second baffle 220, second baffle 220 for the return part of the air loop is necessarily positioned slightly upstream (with respect to the movement of belts 198, 200) of third baffle 222 so that it, too, can capture the somewhat dispersed flow of air back across belts 198 and 200. Two control orifice panels 230, 232, are SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) positioned just prior to tubes 226, 228, to shape and direct the air flow across belts 198, 200, as will be explained in greater detail below.
The airflow, potentially up to five meters per second in the dual conveyor arrangement and adjustable, is high enough to prevent significant vertical losses as it covers a gap of 11 to 12 inches across the conveyor belts 198, 200, while coating bottles 202 evenly.
The shape and locations of first and second baffles 220, 222, are mirrored in second portion 208 about line of symmetry 216. The foregoing description with respect to first portion 206 then also applies to the same extent in second portion 208.
To create a laminar flow, air in first portion 206 flows through a first set of vertical, oval tubes 226 before crossing belt 198 and belt 200. On the other side of belts 198 and 200, air flows through a second set of vertical, oval tubes 228 before being turned by fan 230 and redirected back through tubes 226 and across belts 198, 200. This arrangement of tubes 226, 228, is also mirrored in second portion 208.
Tubes 226, 228, are hollow and are formed to receive a coolant, preferably air, flowing therethrough. The coolant protects the surfaces of tubes 226, 228, from the deposition of metal oxide since bottles 202 are still quite hot from the glass forming machine and radiate considerable heat to adjacent surfaces. Without cooling, the decomposition of the coating-carrying airflow would result in the deposition of oxide which would tend to stick to the surface of the tubes. Tubes 226, 228, need not be oval but could be any shape that helps to direct the airflow and give it the laminar characteristics needed, but its shape is preferably hollow to receive coolant flowing therethrough.
However, round tubes are readily available and easily deformed to an oval cross section that facilitates the laminar flow.
At entrance 192 and exit 194 are entrance barrier 234 and exit barrier 236 to create a standoff between first and second portions 206, 208, respectively, and the exterior of hood 190 that helps to protect the air flow across belts 198, 200, from the influx of air from the exterior. Air from the interior of hood 190 can be drawn into entrance barrier 234 and exit barrier 236 and vented into an air purification system rather than have it exit hood 190 into the atmosphere directly.
The metal oxide, in the form of a liquid, is entrained in the air by dropping it just in front of the centers, or "eyes" of two of the fans 212, from a drip tube 240 onto an evaporation shoe 242 where it evaporates and, as a vapor, is sucked into and blown out the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) periphery of fans 212, into the air stream just prior to passing across belts 198, 200, in the first part of the loop. Thus, both the first and second air loops are fed with metal oxide.
Fig. 9 illustrates an end view and a detailed cross sectional view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the finish protection system of the present hood 190.
Entrance 192 and exit 194 have an end wall 244 that has cutout portions to accommodate the finish 248 of each bottle 250. Inside hood 190, at the top is a dead space 252 where, as with the previously described embodiment, clean, oxide-free air is pumped in to create an oxide-free environment for the finish 248 of bottle 250. Dead space 252 is defined in part by end walls 244, one at entrance 192 and one at exit 194, and two side walls: a first side wall 254 and an opposing second side wall 256, all of which are adjustable vertically to accommodate bottles 250 of different heights.
A dispersion baffle 260 run between side walls 254. 256, except for slits 262 and 264 defined by gaps between dispersion bale 260 and side walls 254, 256, through which a flow of clean air - that is, air with no entrained coating compound -passes. A first and a second angled baffle 266, 268, respectively, re-direct clean air toward finish 248 of bottles 250 in a dead space 252. Dispersion baffle 260 forces incoming air injected into dead space 252 from a port 270 laterally toward side walls 254, 256, where angled bales 266, 268, guide it toward finish 248. By balancing the pressure of up-welling air laden with metal oxide with the downward pressure of clean, oxide-free air, dead space 252 can be maintained free of oxide as bottles 250 move from entrance 192 to exit 194 of hood 190.
As with the preferred embodiment having one conveyor belt, the present, alternate preferred embodiment has two tubes 272, 274, running the length of hood 190 and which have a knife slit 276, 278, formed therein. A flow of air at high pressure is directed through slits 276, 278, to the neck of bottles 250 as a redundant form of finish protection to augement the static pressure of clean air in dead space 252 as bottles 250 pass therethrough.
Figs. 11A and 11B illustrate details of the drip tubes 282 and shoes 284, namely side and front views, respectively. Drip tube 282 engages shoes 284 to deposit drops of coating compound onto shoe 284. Drip tube 282 is preferably brought to at least one point so that the droplets of compound are led off drip tube 282 steadily. Shoe 284 is preferably formed and angled so that droplets spread over its surface 286 quickly and evenly from the point of deposit.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art of glass coating hood design that many modifications and substitutions can be made to the preferred embodiments just described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, defined by the appended claims.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26)
of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a top cross sectional view of the glass coating hood taken along lines A-A
of Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is a detailed cross sectional view of the finish protection system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a top cross sectional view of the glass coating hood according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely, the dual conveyor belt embodiment;
Fig. 9 is a detailed cross sectional view of the finish protection system according to the alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10A and l OB illustrate two alternative control orifice panels, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig 11 A and 11 B illustrate the side view and end view of the coating compound thin film evaporation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
and Figs. 12A and 12B illustrate a detail of the air flow pattern with respect to a passing bottle that is achievable by using control orifice panels shown in Figs. 10A
and lOB
respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS DETAILED
The present invention is a glass coating hood. It receives newly formed, hot glass containers from a glass container former and applies a coating to a substantial part of the surface of the container leaving the upper part, or "finish" free of coating.
The coating is a metal oxide to improve the scratch resistance of the container's exterior, preferably tin oxide derived from the decomposition of monobutyltin trichloride. However, neither the coating nor the containers are part of the present invention. The containers are the workpiece to which the coating is applied by the present coating hood as the containers pass on through the hood on a conveyor belt or belts through the "gap" formed in the coating hood.
Two primary embodiments of the present hood are described herein, one suited to a single conveyor belt and the other suited to dual conveyor belts. Generally, for a single conveyor belt, a single loop air flow system is sufficient and preferred. For dual conveyor belts a dual air flow system is preferred. The differences in these two embodiments are in part to reflect the fact that one has a wider gap because it accommodates two belts and the other has a narrower gap because it has to accommodate only one belt.
The term "air" is used in a somewhat generic sense herein for any gas that can be used as a carrier for the metal oxide. Obviously, any inert gas or gas that is at least inert to the oxide, the bottle, and the interior of the housing, such as nitrogen, can be used to carry metal oxide. However, the preferred gas is simply air in the literal sense because of convenience and low cost.
Figs. 1-7 illustrate the first of these two preferred embodiments, the single belt version. The hood is generally referred to using the reference number 10. Hood comprises a housing 12 and a conveyor belt 14 running therethrough. Bottles 16 are illustrated on belt 14, but the type of glass container coated by the present hood 10 may be almost any glass container. In fact, because of features of hood 10, which will be described presently, there is considerable flexibility in coating containers of different sizes once simple adjustments are made to hood 10.
Belt 14 moves from an entrance 20 of hood 10 through to an exit 22. Doors 24 (only one shown at entrance 20 in Fig. 1 ) on the sides of entrance 20 and exit 22 are adjustable horizontally to allow a larger or smaller gap for bottles 16 of different widths and should be adjusted to maintain just sufficient clearance for bottles 16 but without leaving excessive clearance that would compromise the environment inside hood 10. The adjustment mechanism can be slots 26 in door 24 through which bolts 26 protrude from housing 12 and to which nuts 28 are fastened.
The height of the gap in housing 12 can also be adjusted in order to accommodate bottles 16 of different heights. At the top of the gap inside housing 12 is a finish control system 30, which will be described in more detail below but which can be raised. Guides 32 mounted to the top of housing 12 hold masts 34 connected to sidewalls 130, 132, 134, and 136. These can be raised independently of each other, as will be explained below.
Finish control system 30 can also be raised or lowered to accommodate bottles 16 of different heights. By rotating wheel 36 connected by a shaft 3 8 to finish control system 30, finish control system 30 can be raised or lowered to the desired height.
On each side of housing 12 are access panels 40 which can be opened to provide access to the interior of housing 12 for servicing. Nuts 42 hold panels 40 in place and handles 44 facilitate handling. Each side of housing carries a heater 46, an air pump 48, an air pump motor 50, a fan motor 52 positioned behind a heat shield 54.
Excess air from the interior is vented on each side through a vent 56 the opening of which is controlled by a damper 58.
The effluent from housing is extracted via exhaust tubes 60 which communicate with an exhaust manifold 62 and then with an extraction pump 64, powered by extraction motor 68. An exhaust damper 66 controls the back pressure in manifold 62. From there, the effluent is pumped to conventional air cleaning apparatus which is not part of the present invention. Air for the finish protection system 30 and for cooling certain hollow vents, as will be described below, is supplied by a pump 70 (Fig. 2) and conduit 72.
A controller 78 controls various components including heaters 46, pumps 48, 64, 70, and motors 50, 52.
Inside hood 10, bottles 16 are exposed to a flow of air, indicated by arrows in Fig 2, generated by air pumps 48. This flow of air carries the coating compound in an evaporated, gaseous state throughout interior. On startup, air from outside hood 10 is heated using heaters 46 until its temperature, indicated by a temperature indicator such as a thermocouple 80, is close to the deposition temperature of the coating compound.
Heaters 46 are preferably at least 7.5 Kwatt heaters for a 66 inch hood 10.
Thereafter, the heat from newly formed bottles 16 supplies the necessary heat to bring the air to temperature.
The operating temperature is approximately 300° F. Heaters 46 bring a cold hood 10 up to temperature. Once at a temperature of at least 250° F, belt 14 can begin conveying bottles into hood 10. When the unit reaches a temperature of approximately 260° F on heat up, heaters 46 are switched off by controller 78 to prevent temperature overshoot.
Thereafter the heat from bottles 16 maintains the operating temperature. In the event the temperature drops on the interior drops to 275° F, heater 46 are switched on by controller 78 to bring the temperature back up to operating temperature. If the temperature on the interior of hood 10 is below 250° F, no bottles 16 are introduced. The goals of the temperature control logic is to use heaters 46 sparingly in favor of bottle heat and to prevent the temperature from dropping below 250° F and significantly overshooting 300°
F.
As the air flows around bottles 16, the coating compound-laden air impinges on their side surfaces and the compound is thereby deposited on those surfaces where it reacts with the hot glass. The air, after traversing belt 14 at least twice and losing most of its SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) entrained coating, is removed via exhaust tubes 60 to extraction manifold 62, pulled by extraction pump 64.
The interior 90 of hood 10 is divided by a bale 92 into two portions: a first portion 94 and second portion 96. As illustrated, the direction of flow is counterclockwise (but an S equivalent counter-clockwise system could obviously be designed from a mirror image of the present design). The flow throughout hood 10 is created by first fan 100 and second fan 102, operated by motors 52. Motors 52 are preferably electric motors.
First fan 100 and second fan 102, respectively, receive air from pumps 48 and pull the air across belt 14;
first fan 100 pulls the air across belt 14 in first portion 94 and second fan 102 pulls the air across belt 14 in second portion 96.
The oxide coating is fed as a liquid from a drip tube 106 onto a metal surface or evaporator shoe 108 that is formed and sloped to spread the liquid over surface from where it falls (See Figs. 11A and 11B). Shoe 108 is exposed to the hot air flow and thus causes the liquid coating compound to evaporate and be carried as it evaporates into the center or "eye" of first and second fans 100, 102, where it is sucked in and becomes entrained in the flows of air. Drip tube 106 is fitted with a tetrafluorohydrocarbon (TEFLON) sleeve that can be easily replaced when clogged. Tube 106 deposits a uniform droplet on shoe 108, preferably 0.1 grams of coating compound, to assure the concentration of coating compound is maintained at a fairly constant level during operation.
To help control the direction and character of the air flow, a set of vertical vents:
first vertical vents 112 and second vertical vents 114, one set in each of first and second portions 94, 96, are positioned near belt 14. A little closer to belt 14 in each compartment is a set of air-cooled, oval tubes: first tubes 116 and second tubes 118, define a series of apertures through which the air flows. First and second vertical vents 112, 114, are set an angle, nominally about 45 °, with respect to the major axis of housing 12, but are adjustable, to turn air from first and second fans 100, 102, respectively, and direct it between first and second tubes 116, 118, which themselves define a second set of vertical vents.
The first and second sets of vertical vents 112, 114, 116, and 118, help to direct the air flow and to keep it laminar.
Oval first and second tubes 116, 118, are hollow to permit coolant, such as air or other fluid, to flow therethrough. Because bottles 16 are quite hot and radiate heat to surrounding surfaces (necessitating heat shields 54 to protect motors 52, for example), these tubes would ordinarily be hotter than the dissociation temperature of the metal oxide SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) coating compound entrained in the air. Without an effective way of cooling them, the coating composition would be deposited on their surfaces. The coolant maintains the surface temperature of first and second tubes 116, 118, below the dissociation temperature so that the oxide does not stick to their surfaces. Thus, the presence of the coolant minimizes the need for periodic cleaning of tubes 116, 118. Similarly, the openness of the space behind tubes 116, 118, and removable side panels 40 make it easier to gain access to interior 90 service hood 10 when cleaning is required.
Tubes 116, 118, are preferably spaced apart by at least 1/8th inch, and preferably by approximately 3/8th inch. This spacing prevents tubes 116, 118, from becoming in effect a "filter" for glass fragments, which, if it occurred, would slow operation because the clogged passages between tubes 116, 118, would interfere with air flow, but is narrow enough to control and direct air flow in a laminar fashion across belt 14. The coolant flowing through the interiors of first and second oval tubes 116. 118, comes from pump 70 via conduit 72 that also services finish protection system 30.
The rate of air flow is up to 3 meters per second, roughly three times the air speed in conventional hoods. This high rate, among other advantages, permits a larger gap (defined as the space through which belt 14 passes), up to 165 mm for this one-belt embodiment, a gap that can accommodate all but the largest bottles 16.
In addition, the higher flow rate makes the coating over the exterior surface of bottle 16 more even. A slower flow deposits most of the coating compound on the side of bottle 16 facing the oncoming air and relatively less on the front and back of bottle (in terms of its direction of motion on belt 14). An air flow in a loop thus coats the two sides of a forward moving bottle relatively more and the front and back of a bottle relatively less.
The higher air flow of the present invention, on the other hand, causes whirlpools to form on the sides of bottle, circulating and recirculating the same volume of air in the vicinity of the bottle's sides, that causes a relative reduction in the amount of coating deposited there making the overall coating on the sides more even. The higher flow rate is achieved by more powerful fans 100, 102. Two control orifice panels 120, 122, are placed just before first and second vertical tubes 116, 118, respectively. The functions of these panels will be explained presently.
Note that housing 12 includes entrance barrier 124 at entrance 20 and exit barrier 126 at exit 22 to help to isolate first and second portions 94, 96, on the interior from the exterior of housing 12 and to permit extraction of metal oxide vapor that might otherwise SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) exit hood 10. The vapors drawn into barrier 124 and barrier 126 are pulled into exhaust tubes 60 by extraction pump 64.
On each side of the gap are two side walls 130, 132, 134, and 136. These are held in position by guides 32 and masts 34 so that they can be raised or lowered individually S In general, side walls are set higher on the side of belt 16 that is receiving the air flow from across belt 16 and lower on the side that whence the air flow is originating because air flow tends to diverge - at a 15 degree angle in the case of the air flow rates for the present invention. This side walls 130, 134 would be set lower and side walls 132 and 136 would be set higher. The mode of adjustment can be relatively pimple, such as by forming slots (not shown) in side walls 130, 132, 134 and 136 that are tightened with nuts and bolts (not shown) in a manner similar to that shown for doors 24. These adjustable side walls 130, 132, 134 and 136 are part of finish protection system 30 as well.
As illustrated in Fig 7, the finish is protected from the application of the metal oxide coating by several baffles that make it possible to maintain a positive pressure of coating compound-free air in a dead space 140 of housing 12 through which the finish 142 of a bottle 144 passes. This pressurized dead space 140 is augmented by a thin, high-velocity jets of air to prevent upwelling of coating-compound-laden air from below Downwardly directed clean air - air not containing coating compound -- is divided and laterally redirected by a first dispersing ba$1e 148 to slits 150 and 152 defined by the gap between first baffle 148 and sidewalls 130, 132, and 134, 136, respectively.
Two angled second baffles 154 and 156 redirect and confine air to dead space 140. Second angled baffles 154, 156, are oriented at approximately 45° with respect to the horizontal, sloped downward toward the finish 142 of bottle 144 and extend partway so as not to interfere with the moving line of bottles 144 but long enough to trap a portion of oxide-coating-free air in dead space 140. Just below angled second baffles 154, 156, are a tubes 158, 160, respectively, running the length of hood 10. These tubes have a thin slit 164, 166, preferably 0.006 inches wide and running the length of tubes 158, 160, formed in them that directs a high speed knife-like jet of air at the bottom of the bottle finish 142, below dead space 140, in order to help prevent upwelling of compound-laden air into dead space 140.
The air for tubes 158, 160 and for dead space 140 is supplied and maintained by a finish protection system conduit 72 and pump 70 at a pressure just sufficient to prevent the oxide-coating-laden air below it from entering deadspace 140.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) Thus, oxide-coating-free air from conduit 72 flows laterally around dispersing baffle 148 and then down through slits 150, 152, turning again as it strikes second angled baffles 154, 156, to create a pocket of oxide-free air around finish 142 in dead space 140, that, because of its pressure, resists upwelling of the coating-laden air.
Jets of air from slits 164, 166, in tubes 158, 160, represent optional, redundant engineering to further prevent upwelling.
The concentration of coating in the air, the residency time of bottles 16 in hood 10, and the flow rate of the air will generally determine the thickness of the coating applied.
Once the desired thickness is known, those parameters that affect coating thickness, such as concentration, can be estimated by calculations and then confirmed, or adjusted, by modest experimental techniques known to those skilled in the art of the operation of coating hoods.
The amount of coating deposited, however, does not describe how the coating is distributed on each bottle. The present invention provides a feature for tailoring the coating to the bottle.
Figs. 10A, l OB, 12A and 12B illustrate two embodiments of a control orifice panel 172, 174, located just before the air flow reaches tubes 116, 118 These shape the air flow by defining its boundaries so that relatively more air, laden with coating compound, strikes bottles 16 where is it most needed. Figs. 10A and 12A illustrate control orifice panel 172 with a rectangular hole 176 formed therein; Figs 1 OB and 12B illustrate a control orifice panel 174 with two rectangular holes 178, 180. The single, rectangular hole 176 helps to assure that the coating is applied evenly from shoulder of bottle 16 down.
Holes 178, 180 help to assure that the coating is applied more heavily at the shoulder and at the base than at the middle of bottle 16.
The dimensions and placement of the holes in control orifice panels 172, 174, are obtained by a modest degree of experimentation. These dimensions key from the shape and size of the bottle and the distance of the bottle to the panel. The shape of the bottle and desired thickness of the coating as a function of height will dictate a curve of coating compound versus bottle height. That curve will be adjusted by the distance to the panel that "back out" the air stream divergence, about 15% for the air flow rate of the present.
The resulting curve can be used to determine the shape and position of the aperture in the control orifice panel. Generally, the width of the aperture should be correlated to the amount of coating to be deposited as a function of the height of the bottle:
that is, at the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) elevation on the bottle where the coating needs to be thickest, the width of the aperture in the panel must be widest. The height of the aperture in the panel will correlate generally to the height of the desired deposition on the bottle somewhat reduced from the actual bottle dimensions to allow for the divergence of the air stream between the time it passes through the panel aperture and the time it reaches the bottle. A calculation can be easily used to determine a starting point for aperture size and shape and then the aperture dimensions can be modified from the initial dimensions based on test results.
An alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention is a dual belt hood, illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Hood 190 has an entrance 192 and an exit 194.
Twin belts, first belt 198 and second belt 200, which are adjacent and spaced slightly apart, move from entrance 192 to exit 194 through hood 190 carrying bottles 202 on both conveyor belts 198, 200.
Hood 190 has two air flow loops, one in first portion 206 and one in second portion 208 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5. Motors 210, which are preferably electric motors, rotate fans 212 to move the air in the desired direction. The air flow in first portion 206 is shown as moving clockwise; in second portion 208, counterclockwise. Because these air currents are counter to each other, when cross belts 198, 200 in the middle of hood 190, they are crossing in the same direction, with less turbulence. A line of symmetry 216 defines the boundary between f rst and second portions 206, 208, about which line, first and second portions are mirror images of each other.
Internal structure of hood 190 includes bales designed to channel the air flow in the desired direction. In first portion 206, a first baffle 218 defines and separates first and second portions 206, 208. A second baffle 220 in each portion separates the outgoing and incoming air flows adjacent to fan 212. A corresponding third baffle 222 performs a similar function on the opposing side of hood 190. Note that third baffle 222 is positioned slightly downstream (with respect to the movement of belts 198, 200) of second baffle 220 to capture the air flow coming across belts 198, 200, air that has dispersed notwithstanding its highly laminar nature and high flow rate. Note also that, just as third baffle 222 is positioned slightly downstream of second baffle 220, second baffle 220 for the return part of the air loop is necessarily positioned slightly upstream (with respect to the movement of belts 198, 200) of third baffle 222 so that it, too, can capture the somewhat dispersed flow of air back across belts 198 and 200. Two control orifice panels 230, 232, are SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) positioned just prior to tubes 226, 228, to shape and direct the air flow across belts 198, 200, as will be explained in greater detail below.
The airflow, potentially up to five meters per second in the dual conveyor arrangement and adjustable, is high enough to prevent significant vertical losses as it covers a gap of 11 to 12 inches across the conveyor belts 198, 200, while coating bottles 202 evenly.
The shape and locations of first and second baffles 220, 222, are mirrored in second portion 208 about line of symmetry 216. The foregoing description with respect to first portion 206 then also applies to the same extent in second portion 208.
To create a laminar flow, air in first portion 206 flows through a first set of vertical, oval tubes 226 before crossing belt 198 and belt 200. On the other side of belts 198 and 200, air flows through a second set of vertical, oval tubes 228 before being turned by fan 230 and redirected back through tubes 226 and across belts 198, 200. This arrangement of tubes 226, 228, is also mirrored in second portion 208.
Tubes 226, 228, are hollow and are formed to receive a coolant, preferably air, flowing therethrough. The coolant protects the surfaces of tubes 226, 228, from the deposition of metal oxide since bottles 202 are still quite hot from the glass forming machine and radiate considerable heat to adjacent surfaces. Without cooling, the decomposition of the coating-carrying airflow would result in the deposition of oxide which would tend to stick to the surface of the tubes. Tubes 226, 228, need not be oval but could be any shape that helps to direct the airflow and give it the laminar characteristics needed, but its shape is preferably hollow to receive coolant flowing therethrough.
However, round tubes are readily available and easily deformed to an oval cross section that facilitates the laminar flow.
At entrance 192 and exit 194 are entrance barrier 234 and exit barrier 236 to create a standoff between first and second portions 206, 208, respectively, and the exterior of hood 190 that helps to protect the air flow across belts 198, 200, from the influx of air from the exterior. Air from the interior of hood 190 can be drawn into entrance barrier 234 and exit barrier 236 and vented into an air purification system rather than have it exit hood 190 into the atmosphere directly.
The metal oxide, in the form of a liquid, is entrained in the air by dropping it just in front of the centers, or "eyes" of two of the fans 212, from a drip tube 240 onto an evaporation shoe 242 where it evaporates and, as a vapor, is sucked into and blown out the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) periphery of fans 212, into the air stream just prior to passing across belts 198, 200, in the first part of the loop. Thus, both the first and second air loops are fed with metal oxide.
Fig. 9 illustrates an end view and a detailed cross sectional view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the finish protection system of the present hood 190.
Entrance 192 and exit 194 have an end wall 244 that has cutout portions to accommodate the finish 248 of each bottle 250. Inside hood 190, at the top is a dead space 252 where, as with the previously described embodiment, clean, oxide-free air is pumped in to create an oxide-free environment for the finish 248 of bottle 250. Dead space 252 is defined in part by end walls 244, one at entrance 192 and one at exit 194, and two side walls: a first side wall 254 and an opposing second side wall 256, all of which are adjustable vertically to accommodate bottles 250 of different heights.
A dispersion baffle 260 run between side walls 254. 256, except for slits 262 and 264 defined by gaps between dispersion bale 260 and side walls 254, 256, through which a flow of clean air - that is, air with no entrained coating compound -passes. A first and a second angled baffle 266, 268, respectively, re-direct clean air toward finish 248 of bottles 250 in a dead space 252. Dispersion baffle 260 forces incoming air injected into dead space 252 from a port 270 laterally toward side walls 254, 256, where angled bales 266, 268, guide it toward finish 248. By balancing the pressure of up-welling air laden with metal oxide with the downward pressure of clean, oxide-free air, dead space 252 can be maintained free of oxide as bottles 250 move from entrance 192 to exit 194 of hood 190.
As with the preferred embodiment having one conveyor belt, the present, alternate preferred embodiment has two tubes 272, 274, running the length of hood 190 and which have a knife slit 276, 278, formed therein. A flow of air at high pressure is directed through slits 276, 278, to the neck of bottles 250 as a redundant form of finish protection to augement the static pressure of clean air in dead space 252 as bottles 250 pass therethrough.
Figs. 11A and 11B illustrate details of the drip tubes 282 and shoes 284, namely side and front views, respectively. Drip tube 282 engages shoes 284 to deposit drops of coating compound onto shoe 284. Drip tube 282 is preferably brought to at least one point so that the droplets of compound are led off drip tube 282 steadily. Shoe 284 is preferably formed and angled so that droplets spread over its surface 286 quickly and evenly from the point of deposit.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art of glass coating hood design that many modifications and substitutions can be made to the preferred embodiments just described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, defined by the appended claims.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE26)
Claims (19)
1. A glass coating hood for coating glass bottles, comprising:
a housing having an entrance and an opposing exit;
a conveyor movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said housing;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said air flow;
means for limiting upwelling of said air flow so that said metal oxide injected into said air flow does not coat the finish of bottles when said bottles are moving on said conveyor;
means for directing said first air flow in a loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in a first direction and returning said air flow horizontally in an opposing direction; said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor;
and means for shaping said air flow
a housing having an entrance and an opposing exit;
a conveyor movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said housing;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said air flow;
means for limiting upwelling of said air flow so that said metal oxide injected into said air flow does not coat the finish of bottles when said bottles are moving on said conveyor;
means for directing said first air flow in a loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in a first direction and returning said air flow horizontally in an opposing direction; said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor;
and means for shaping said air flow
2. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 1, further comprising limiting means formed in said housing over said conveyor for creating a dead space over said conveyor; and means for injecting a second air flow into said dead space.
3. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 1, wherein said shaping means further comprises a panel having an aperture formed therein through which said air flow passes toward said conveyor, said aperture being dimensioned to shape said air flow to obtain a pre-selected vertical distribution of air crossing said conveyor.
4. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 1, wherein said injecting means further comprises a tube in fluid communication with a source of a coating compound and an evaporating surface onto which said tube deposits drops of said coating compound for evaporation.
5. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one fan creates said first air flow having a speed of about at least three meters per second.
6. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 1, wherein said conveyor further comprises a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt spaced apart from said first conveyor belt, said first and said second conveyor belts being adapted to hold said glass bottles on each of said first and said second conveyor belts.
7. A glass coating hood for coating glass bottles, comprising:
a housing having an entrance and an opposing exit, a first portion and an opposing second portion fitted over a conveyor, movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit, passing through said first portion and then said second portion;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said first portion of said housing;
at least one fan for creating a second air flow within said second portion of said housing;
means for limiting upwelling of said air flow so that said metal oxide injected into said air flow does not coat the finish of bottles, when said bottles are traveling on said conveyor;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said first and said second air flows;
and means for directing said first air flow in a first loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in a first direction and returning horizontally in an opposing second direction in said first portion and said second air flow in a second loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in said second direction and returning horizontally in said first direction in said second portion, said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor, said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor.
a housing having an entrance and an opposing exit, a first portion and an opposing second portion fitted over a conveyor, movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit, passing through said first portion and then said second portion;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said first portion of said housing;
at least one fan for creating a second air flow within said second portion of said housing;
means for limiting upwelling of said air flow so that said metal oxide injected into said air flow does not coat the finish of bottles, when said bottles are traveling on said conveyor;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said first and said second air flows;
and means for directing said first air flow in a first loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in a first direction and returning horizontally in an opposing second direction in said first portion and said second air flow in a second loop crossing said conveyor horizontally in said second direction and returning horizontally in said first direction in said second portion, said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor, said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor.
8. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, wherein said directing means further comprises:
a set of tubes positioned adjacent to said conveyor, each tube of said set of tubes spaced apart from adjacent tubes so that said first and said second air flows can flow therebetween; and a set of vents positioned adjacent to said set of tubes and oriented approximately at right angles to said set of tubes each vent of said set of vents spaced apart from adjacent vents so that said first and said second air flows can flow therebetween.
a set of tubes positioned adjacent to said conveyor, each tube of said set of tubes spaced apart from adjacent tubes so that said first and said second air flows can flow therebetween; and a set of vents positioned adjacent to said set of tubes and oriented approximately at right angles to said set of tubes each vent of said set of vents spaced apart from adjacent vents so that said first and said second air flows can flow therebetween.
9. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 8, wherein said each tube of said set of tubes is hollow so that coolant can flow therethrough.
10. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, wherein said directing means shapes said air flow to obtain a vertical distribution of said air flow.
11. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for evaporating metal oxide before said metal oxide is entrained in said air flow.
12. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, wherein said conveyor further comprises two adjacent conveyor belts.
13. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one fan in said first portion is two fans and said at least one fan in said second portion is two fans.
14. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one fan in said first portion creates a first air flow having a speed of at least three meters per second and said at least one fan in said second portion creates a second air flow having a speed of at least three meters per second.
15. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 12, wherein said two fans in said first portion and said two fans in said second portion create a first and a second air flows, said first and said second air flows each having a speed of up to five meters per second.
16. A glass coating hood for coating glass bottles, comprising:
a housing having as entrance and an opposing exit, a first portion and an opposing second portion;
two parallel conveyor belts movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit, passing through said first portion and then said second portion;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said first portion of said housing;
at least one fan for creating a second air flow within said second portion of said housing;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said first and said second air flows;
means for directing said first air flow in a first loop crossing said conveyor belts horizontally in a first direction and returning horizontally in an opposing second direction in said first portion and said second air flow in a second loop crossing said conveyor belts horizontally in said second direction and returning horizontally in said first direction in said second portion, said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor, said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor;
means formed in said housing for creating a dead space above said conveyor belts;
and means for injecting air into said dead space to protect the finish of bottles, when said bottles are moving on said conveyor belts.
a housing having as entrance and an opposing exit, a first portion and an opposing second portion;
two parallel conveyor belts movable through said housing from said entrance to said exit, passing through said first portion and then said second portion;
at least one fan for creating a first air flow within said first portion of said housing;
at least one fan for creating a second air flow within said second portion of said housing;
means for injecting a metal oxide into said first and said second air flows;
means for directing said first air flow in a first loop crossing said conveyor belts horizontally in a first direction and returning horizontally in an opposing second direction in said first portion and said second air flow in a second loop crossing said conveyor belts horizontally in said second direction and returning horizontally in said first direction in said second portion, said first and said second directions being perpendicular to a major dimension of said conveyor, said directing means including baffle means to maintain laminar air flow and avoid turbulence in said air flow when said air flow returns across said conveyor;
means formed in said housing for creating a dead space above said conveyor belts;
and means for injecting air into said dead space to protect the finish of bottles, when said bottles are moving on said conveyor belts.
17. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 16, wherein said directing means further comprises side walls positioned on either side of said conveyor belts, said side walls being adjustable vertically
18. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 16, wherein said at least one fan for creating a first air flow and said at least one fan for creating a second air flow are adapted to create air flows having a speed of up to five meters per second.
19. The glass coating hood as recited in claim 16, wherein said metal oxide injecting means drips metal oxide onto an evaporating surface adjacent to said at least one fan in said first portion and at least one fan in said second portion so that said metal oxide is entrained into said first and said second flows of air as a vapor.
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US15771999P | 1999-10-05 | 1999-10-05 | |
| US60/157,719 | 1999-10-05 | ||
| US59991000A | 2000-06-23 | 2000-06-23 | |
| US09/599,910 | 2000-06-23 | ||
| PCT/US2000/027566 WO2001025503A1 (en) | 1999-10-05 | 2000-10-05 | Glass container coating hood |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2386657A1 true CA2386657A1 (en) | 2001-04-12 |
Family
ID=26854417
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002386657A Abandoned CA2386657A1 (en) | 1999-10-05 | 2000-10-05 | Glass container coating hood |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU7863800A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2386657A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001025503A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2004000748A1 (en) * | 2002-06-19 | 2003-12-31 | Atofina Vlissingen B.V. | Glass container with a coating |
| ES2327476B1 (en) * | 2005-10-20 | 2010-08-04 | Saint-Gobain Vicasa S.A. | HOT TREATMENT TUNNEL FOR GLASS CONTAINERS. |
| EP2799405B8 (en) | 2013-04-30 | 2019-10-23 | Arkema B.V. | Coating apparatus with half open loop |
| WO2016074750A1 (en) | 2014-11-13 | 2016-05-19 | Gerresheimer Glas Gmbh | Glass forming machine particle filter, a plunger unit, a blow head, a blow head support and a glass forming machine adapted to or comprising said filter |
| PT3109210T (en) * | 2015-06-24 | 2019-10-25 | Arkema Bv | Coating apparatus for containers, process of applying a coating and use of the coating apparatus |
| EP3380253B1 (en) * | 2015-11-24 | 2021-12-22 | Arkema, Inc. | Interchangable center section for glass coating hood |
| ES2777540T3 (en) | 2016-04-18 | 2020-08-05 | Arkema Bv | Coating apparatus for containers |
| DE102016114292A1 (en) | 2016-08-02 | 2018-02-08 | Khs Corpoplast Gmbh | Process for coating plastic containers |
| EP3381875A1 (en) | 2017-03-31 | 2018-10-03 | Arkema B.V. | Coating apparatus for containers with means for pressure regulation |
| EP3381873A1 (en) | 2017-03-31 | 2018-10-03 | Arkema B.V. | Coating apparatus for containers |
| EP3381874A1 (en) | 2017-03-31 | 2018-10-03 | Arkema B.V. | Feeding device for coating apparatus, coating apparatus comprising it and process using it |
| JP7194690B2 (en) * | 2017-03-31 | 2022-12-22 | アーケマ・インコーポレイテッド | Modular hood for coating glassware |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3876410A (en) * | 1969-12-24 | 1975-04-08 | Ball Brothers Co Inc | Method of applying durable lubricous coatings on glass containers |
| US4113082A (en) * | 1976-05-17 | 1978-09-12 | Airco, Inc. | Apparatus and method for storing and transporting substrates in a batch-type vacuum process |
| US4668268A (en) * | 1984-12-20 | 1987-05-26 | M&T Chemicals Inc. | Coating hood with air flow guide for minimizing deposition of coating compound on finish of containers |
| US5136976A (en) * | 1989-10-27 | 1992-08-11 | Atochem North America, Inc. | Method and means for controlled-profile coating of glass containers |
-
2000
- 2000-10-05 AU AU78638/00A patent/AU7863800A/en not_active Abandoned
- 2000-10-05 WO PCT/US2000/027566 patent/WO2001025503A1/en active Application Filing
- 2000-10-05 CA CA002386657A patent/CA2386657A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2001025503A1 (en) | 2001-04-12 |
| AU7863800A (en) | 2001-05-10 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |